Wallpaper needs to go

abward14January 29, 2013

I want to remove the wallpaper in my kitchen. Need help with color choice. Beige ceramic floors and black granite countertops and stainless appliances stay. What about a backsplash or do the sparkles in the granite make that option too busy? Also leaving the cabinets as I decided against painting and had them refinished a couple of years ago.

How about a stainless tile backsplash. I think it would add to the sparkle of the kitchen and then maybe a rich green on the walls. Houzz had an article that emerald green was the new "it" color for 2013 and that would look beautiful in your kitchen.[houzz=

Looks like you have a lot going on with texture in the kitchen....brick, granite, glass, etc. Since you have a partial backsplash now that matches your counter top, I would not add anything else to the walls except a paint color of your choice. Make sure the paint is at least a satin gloss and can be scrubbed.

New, updated cabinet hardware would be inexpensive and go a long ways to update the kitchen!

Can you do overhead cam lights rather than the florescent? Also, undercabinet lighting would be beautiful with your dark countertops!

That is one seriously amazing kitchen! For color, I tend to like soft muted greens with brick. I think it would work well with the red tones in your cabinets and the copper as well. Plus if there is any patina on your hood it might pick that up. I'm thinking a much lighter shade of the boarder that's on your rug.

At this point I'd skip a backsplash unless you really need it for wall protection. You've got so many amazing features there and I wonder if a competing texture/color might detract from those?

I do have the under cabinet lights (just weren't on). Would LOVE can lights but am afraid to hurt husband's feelings who installed the flush fluorescents himself. It was major...he cut through a water line in the process! He was so proud of himself for fixing it all. Maybe we'll have a friendly discussion. Things change. Fluorescents were all the rage....in the 80's.

Husband did a GOOD job with those lights! I wasn't sure when looking at the photo if they were fluorescents or an oddly shaped powerful solatube! You might want to check to see if there is a warmer bulb available for your fixture.

One other thing to consider - a client of mine has a specific type of fluorescent. They recently found out that the ONLY bulb that fits this thing is being discontinued. They've bought out Lowes and a few other places locally and it will hold them for a couple years but at some point, they'll have to replace the fixture.

Fluorescents done well and with the right temp bulb I think are a good thing. They're not hot (important in a kitchen!) they're energy saving and can provide good light.